TUALATIN, Ore. — Yes, it’s the holiday season all across the country, but in NBA circles, it’s also prediction season.
And with the Blazers’ first game coming up Monday, there is no shortage of prognosticating taking place in Portland.
Friday, the subject was broached with shooting guard Wesley Matthews, who was asked where his team is going to finish this year in the Western Conference.
Third? Fourth? Fifth?
“I think we can be one,” Matthews said. “I was talking to (teammate) Jamal (Crawford) and we were saying that we’re both amazed and excited about how quickly we’re playing for each other.”
Matthews explained that this meant being excited for your teammate when he subs in for you, or rushing to pick him up in practice after he dives for a loose ball.
LaMarcus Aldridge echoed Matthews’ thoughts, saying that, so far, this year’s team chemistry rivals that of the 2007-2008 squad, which won 13 consecutive games.
Aldridge was asked shortly after if that streak was the most fun he has had in his professional career. The power forward said that he was actually most fond of winning Western Conference Player of the Month honors in February last year, because that was when he felt most dominant.
When a reporter playfully ribbed him for taking more pride in an individual honor, Aldridge smiled and reminded everyone that the Blazers were winning a lot of games last February.
“As long as we’re winning, that’s all that matters,” Aldridge said.
• A sore left knee kept Marcus Camby from playing in Wednesday’s preseason game against the Jazz, although an MRI did not reveal any new complications.
Camby did not practice Friday, but said he “should be ready to go” when the Blazers open their season on Monday.
And perhaps Camby’s pain made him that much more empathetic toward teammate Greg Oden, whose knee seems to incessantly keep him off the court. Asked if he could give one Christmas gift to anybody on the team, Camby responded “it would go to G.O., and it would be good health.”
• A reporter posed that same question to Aldridge, who said that he would take an hour out of his day to make Portland point guard Armon Johnson his own shoe. As for the rest of his Christmas shopping, Aldridge said he finished that up a while ago.
McMillan is in the same boat, but not because he was extra diligent — he just leaves the shopping to his wife.
“But it’s on your credit card, right?” chimed a reporter.
“Yeah, well, she has that number,” McMillan said. In fact, I think she has it memorized.”
Matt Calkins can be contacted at 360-735-4528 or matt.calkins@columbian.com
